Pneumatic track-sander.



No. 862,952. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. H. WATTERS.

PNEUMATIC TRACK $ANDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1907.

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W/ YlV/LWES JOHN H. WATTERS, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

PNEUMATIC TRACK-SANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 13, 1907.

Application filed May 23,1907. Serial No. 375,334.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it-known that I, JOHN H. Warrnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county of Richniond and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Pneumatic Track-Sander, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to track sanders, and has for its principal object to provide a device of very simple construction by which sand may be simultaneously discharged to both rails and which may be readily at- ,tached to any sand box without interfering in any manner with the working of the usual hand valve, so that the latter may be employed in the ordinary manner in case the present feeder is rendered inoperative by reason of failure of the pressure supply or other cause.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this class in which provision is made for preventing the clogging or choking of the air jet openings of the feeder.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts; hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 is a plan View," partly in section, of a pneumatic track sander constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 .is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the jet pipe proper detached; V 1

. Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

The casing- 10 of the sander is provided with a slightly tapered threaded nipple 11 which is screwed into a threaded opening tapped in the front or rear face 0f the sand box, there being usually two of such devices employed in order to feed to both the front and reardrivers. At that end opposite thenipple is an opening for the insertion of the enlarged end 15 of a interior wall of the collar beingthreaded for the reception of the end of an air pipe'21 which may be con-' nectcd to the main reservoir of the air brake system or any other suitable source of supply.

The nozzle member 16 is provided with an opening 20 and with. laterally directed openings 21, the opening 20 being in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the nipple 11 and serving to direct a minute jet of air against the sand in the sandbox for the purpose of thoroughly agitating the latter and keeping the sand so loostthat it may be drawn back through the annular space between the nozzle and the inner wall of the easing, this discharging movement of the sand being induced by the jets of air issuing from the openings 21. The openings 21 are larger in diameter than the opening 20 so that there will be no danger of the sand being blown up through the sand box.

At points in alinement with the openings 21 the casing is provided with threaded openings for the reception of the ends ofdischargc pipes 23 which lead to the rails, and the sand is directed through these pipes by the blasts of air issuing from the lateral openings 21.

In operation, the jet of air issuing from the opening 20 will serve to loosen the sand at the entrance of the nipple 11 while the jets issuing from the openings 21 will create a partial vacuum in the space between the nozzle and the inner wall of the casing, so that the loosened sand will be drawn through the nipple into a position where it may be acted upon by the direct force of jets from the openings 21 and driven by these jets of air through the pipes 23 to the rails.

In order to prevent the clogging of the jet openings,'

the enlarged portion of the nozzle is bored out to form a hole 24 in which is placed a screen 25 that may be formed of wire or'other suitable material, the screen serving to catch any foreign matter whichmay be .carried by the air from the source of supply through the center, and in this manner the clogging of the jet openings will be prevented.

One of the advantages oi the present construction resides in the fact that in case one side of the device fails from the jet becoming stopped or otherwise, it is necessary for the person repairing or cleaning the same to clean both jets at the same time, and as the jets are diametrically opposite each other this may be very readily accomplished.

I claim 1. In a pneumatic track sander, a casing having a hip plow-ranged for attachment to a sand box and provided with a pair of diametrically alined discharge openings, and an air Jet nozzle extending into the casing and pro vided with a. jet opening at the end, and with a pair of openings at the side, the latter openings living diametric ally opposite each other, and in :rlinement with the lateral discharge openings of the casing.-

2. In a pneumatic track sander, a casing having a nipple at one end for attachment to a sand box and provided at its opposite sides with lateral discharge openings, a nozzle member having an enlarged body portion fitting within that end of the casing opposite the nipple, the bully portion of the nozzle being bored out to form a recess,

"the end and at the sides of the nozzle, and a strainer disposed within said recess. I

3. In a pneumatic track sander, a casing having at one end a nipple for attachment to a sand box, the side walls of the casing having lateral dischnr 'e. openings, a nozzle member fitting within the casing and having an enlarged body portion at that end opposite the nipple, the body portion being counter-bored to form a recess, an air jet pas- 10 sage leading from the recess to the end and to tliesides of ilxe nozzle, a collar fitting in threads in the wall of said recess, said collar being internally threaded to receive an air jet pipe, and means for locking the nozzle in place. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I

have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two 15 witnesses.

JNO. H. WATTEBS. Witnesses l E. J. Coscnovn, CARRIE F. SASSER. 

